188Bet has been around since 2006 but has recently begun to branch out from its established Asian market. Focussing mainly on football (soccer), they have extensive coverage of over 400 different leagues.

With a fine array of in-play markets that rival the industry's big boys, 188Bet have used sponsorship ties with English Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Liverpool to widen their appeal and get their name known to the masses.

As well as their sports book, 188Bet also offer a casino products with a variety of both traditional and modern games.

As suggested, 188Bet's market coverage for football is second to none. This is certainly the bookie to visit if you fancy betting on the Thailand King's Cup, the Korea K-League or the Romanian Division One.

They also cover the major leagues very well, but they don't have quite the range of bets as some of the better known bookmakers.

Other than football, they cover other sports including basketball, tennis, ice hockey, American football and darts. But they don't yet have anything in the way of horse racing market coverage, which definitely seems like them missing a trick.

The odds are very competitive, especially for the Asian handicap and half time/full time markets.

The main sports book bonus is a risk free 25 GBP bet for new UK-based customers. To claim the free bet customers simply need to open a new account, make a deposit and place a bet. If your bet wins, then that's great. But if it loses 188Bet will refund your losses up to 25 GBP.

There are no turnover requirements with the free bet, but to claim you must email Promo@188Service.com with your User Name, the Bet ID, and the Promotion code 'NU125', after which they will credit your account within seven days.

Other than the sports book bonus, 188Bet offer a 10% casino cashback bonus up to 188 GBP, but this offer is likely to change regularly so check their website for the latest details.

There are always plenty of in-play markets, especially on football. The odds are competitive, but with in-play betting not having a separate area of their website, the interface can become a little confusing as it is not always immediately apparent whether or not an event has commenced.

A few minor tweaks to the presentation of the in-play markets would certainly benefit customers, but for those willing to persevere, the small margins the bookie appears to take from the odds certainly gives plenty of opportunity to find some good value wagers.

You can access 188Bet Mobile by keying wap.188BET.net into your phone. As long as you have already opened an account you can then access live odds, including in-play markets, place bets and check your account details.

There is a tutorial on the 188Bet website to help get you started here, but it is really simple. It also looks slick and works very efficiently.

Telephone: +44 20 3286 9991 Email: help@188Service.com Address: Clinch's House, Lord Street, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 1JD Other contact methods: Live chat, Skype

The commitment to customer service 188Bet exhibit is very impressive, especially compared to some of its competitors who are also relatively new to the European betting market. Having a UK-based phone line is a benefit, and the website itself contains a lot of useful information.

The live chat is very efficient, and tells you what number you are in the queue, though I've never been higher than second and never had to wait more than a minute before getting a response.

In summary then, 188Bet is a great bookmaker for all things football, and especially if you have an interest in the more obscure leagues or cup competitions.

The in-play markets are extensive and there is good value to be found from the very competitive odds.

The simplicity of the free bet bonus is also a big plus, not least because of the absence of the rollover requirements that are so common these days.

The one major downside is the lack of coverage of other sports, in particular horse racing. This means 188Bet would appeal less to general sports or gambling fans compared to those who bet solely on football.

As they develop further markets, however, and with continued investment in promotion and customer service, 188Bet could challenge some of the industry's front runners in years to come.